Backup requested
by TalysAlankil
Summary: When Ventus is stuck trick-or-treating with his brothers, he received help from an unexpected place.


Ventus couldn't _believe_ his parents had dumped babysitting duty on him at the last minute. On _Halloween_. Even though he had an in for a college party that Terra and Aqua were going to, and had totally planned to sneak him in even though he was still a high schooler.

Well, maybe that was _why_ his parents had stuck him on babysitting duty.

And true, he _had_ promised Sora and Roxas to go with them, but that was last year, before he knew he was going to miss out on the best party in his life so far. Sora was bouncing all over the place in his pirate costume—how a twelve-year-old had managed to make such a detailed outfit by himself, Ventus had no idea—and while Roxas was following him at a less eager pace, Ven wasn't sure if it was preteen angst or if he was just trying to stay in character as that slasher from those obscure movies Roxas loved so much.

They were happy he was here, clearly. Ven was still a little pissed about the whole thing, though.

Ventus followed his brothers down the alleyway and on to the next house, hugging himself in an attempt to generate some warmth. He hadn't bothered to dress up, but he'd also underestimated how chilly the weather would get, especially after the wind had started to pick up.

It was that distraction that made him fail to notice just whose house they'd arrived it. I was only when the door opened and revealed a dark-haired teenager with striking golden eyes that Ventus started to really regret this whole evening.

"Trick or treat!" Sora cheerfully called, unaware of the way the Vanitas's gaze had glossed over him and landed right on Ventus.

"Hi, _Venty_." A smile curled his lips, and Ven couldn't help but squirm at the nickname he hated. Vanitas was wearing a white tunic that only fell to halfway down his thighs, leaving plenty of his legs exposed. A massive, elaborate pair of wings was strapped to his back, and a golden laurel crown was threaded through his hair in lieu of a traditional halo. Ven suddenly felt self-conscious about not wearing a costume.

Vanitas only looked down at the twins in front of him without saying anything. "Great costumes, you two!" he said, and to Ven's surprise, he sounded genuine. Then, to Roxas specifically, "_Frat House Death Strike_, huh? Love those films." He said it with a smile that Ven could only describe as a ferocious, toothy grin, but Roxas beamed back at him nonetheless. "Hold on, my sister will hook you up—Xion?"

He called the name back, and a girl about the same age as Sora and Roxas emerged, dressed in an elaborate puppet costume, complete with some strings hanging from above her. "Oh, hey Roxas!" she greeted. "You look great!"

"We're out of candy here," Vanitas chided her. "Can you go grab the backup bag?" He turned back to the twins. "You guys can go with her," then, glancing up at Ventus, "if that's okay with you?"

It sounded like a challenge. "Yeah, it's okay," Ven told his brothers, and the boys dashed inside. "I didn't know you were Xion's brother."

"Really? I knew you were Roxas's. He can't stop talking about you when he comes over."

Ven blinked in surprise, but he wasn't about to let this unsettle him. Vanitas had made it quite clear he wanted nothing to do with a loser like Ventus a couple months ago, when Ven had tried to make the new transfer student feel welcome, only to meet a rude response. "Surprised you're dressed up," he said, coolly. "Thought you'd be too cool for Halloween."

"And I thought you were dorky enough to keep dressing up."

Ven didn't say that he was planning to—except his costume would not have been appropriate to wear around his brothers. "So. An angel?"

He didn't try to keep the skepticism from his voice, and Vanitas clearly got the message; but his only reaction was to laugh. "Isn't that the point of Halloween? Dress up as something you're not?" He waggled an eyebrow at that.

Ven scoffed, but he couldn't come up with a proper retort. So he took the low road instead. "Even so, you don't make a very convincing angel. _Fallen_ angel, maybe."

"_Ouch_." Vanitas pouted exaggeratedly. "You'll really hurt my feelings."

"Bite me, Vanitas."

"I'm not a vampire, you—"

A crashing noise distracted Ven from their sparring, and he rushed inside past Vanitas. At the end of the hallway, he saw Sora on all fours, a patch of fake fur torn from his pirate jacket.

Sora picked it up and cradled it in his hands, and Ven could tell he was already on the verge of tears. Panicked, Ven seized up, unsure what he could do, when Vanitas caught up with him. Without missing a beat, he went to crouch next to Sora. "Oh no!" he said, keeping his tone calm and comforting. "Don't worry, we can fix this, okay?" He reached out to make Sora meet his gaze. "I've got a first aid kit for Halloween costumes. Don't move."

Ven could only gape at Vanitas as he got up, rushed up the stairs, and within less than a minute, came back down, a small messenger bag slung over his shoulder. From it, he produced a needle and some thread.

"Here," he said. "I'll sew it back—"

Sora shook his head. "I can do it. I made the whole costume myself." He was clearly struggling to reclaim his pride, even if his voice was still shaky.

"All right," Vanitas said, handing the needle and thread to him. "Just call if you need anything."

Just then, a yelp came from the kitchen down the hall, and Roxas and Xion ran out, followed by a veritable tide of candy sweeping across the floor.

Ven sighed. "Are you _kidding_ me?" he muttered, moving to intercept his brother before he could escape. "Roxas—" He paused as he noticed the matching guilty looks on his and Xion's faces, and the bulging bags of candy they carried. "Did you two just _rob_ Xion's parents' stash?"

Roxas returned a shit-eating grin. "No?"

"Give me that," Ven snapped as he snatched Roxas's bag of candy. "And go clean up your mess."

"You too, Xion," Vanitas called from behind him. He sighed as he watched his sister follow Roxas back to the kitchen, both of them looking utterly defeated. "Well, guess it's about time to go anyway."

Ven turned around, and found Vanitas was putting on a white pair of jeans under his tunic, which surprisingly matched his angel costume. "Go?" he asked, confused.

"You shouldn't have to handle both of these kids by yourself," Vanitas replied matter-of-factly, "and my sister should get to go trick-or-treating too." He ditched his sandals for a pair of black combat boots, which did ruin his look a little, and with a sigh, unstrapped his wings and put on a white coat over his tunic.

Ven stared at him, confounded. "You're—" Before he could finish his thought, Sora triumphantly stood, his costume fixed, and Roxas and Xion came out of the kitchen.

"You're taking me trick-or-treating?" Xion said, ecstatic. Before she even got an answer, the three kids exchanged looks and rushed outside. It was all Ventus could do to rush out after them, lest he lost sight of his brothers.

Thankfully, they ran into another group of neighborhood kids before they got too far ahead, and spent enough time prancing in menacing poses at each other—all in character, or course—that Ven could catch up.

"Guys," he said, short on breath, "I _told_ you to wait for me."

"Oh! Yeah, sorry," Sora said, as if he'd completely forgotten.

"So…can we go to the next house now?" Roxas asked. Both of the twins looked at him with puppy dog eyes, and all Ven could do was roll his eyes in response.

"Sure, let's go."

They set out down the street, and after the toasty air of Vanitas's home and his dash after his brother on his way out, Ven was suddenly reminded of the chill in the air. He shivered visibly when Vanitas fell into step beside him.

"You look miserable," Vanitas remarked.

"Good to know you're still as sharp as ever." Ven wasn't really in the mood for this. Maybe he shouldn't have—

He yelped when he fell the weight of heavy fabric fall upon his shoulder. Blinking in surprise, he glanced down at Vanitas's coat, then at Vanitas himself. Standing out in the cold in his tunic and jeans.

"But—" Ventus said. "Aren't you gonna be—"

"Just say thanks, Ventus."

"So you _do_ remember what my name actually is."

"I can always take it back—"

Ven couldn't help but clutch the coat between his fingers, and sighed. It was a little baggy on Ven, to account for Vanitas's broader shoulders, but it still provided with some welcome warmth. "Fine. Thanks."

"You can pay me back by sticking close to me," Vanitas said lightly. Without a warning, he reached and grabbed Ventus's hand. "See? I feel warmer already."

Ven felt a blush creep up his neck, but he didn't let go. Instead, he popped the coat's collar to hide it as best he could. Vanitas's scent lingered on the fabric. "Dork," Ventus muttered as they walked after their respective siblings.

And if he found himself walking just a little closer to Vanitas than necessary, well, it was clearly just out of pity for him. Nothing else.


End file.
